基于语料库的英语味觉域形容词谓语构式及隐喻拓展

A Corpus-based Study of English Taste Domain Predictive Adjectives and Their Metaphorical Extension

认知语言学的涉身体验观对语言研究产生了重大影响,与人类基本体验相关的身体部位、空间和感知等受到前所未有的关注。以概念隐喻理论和基于使用的构式理论为基础,选取英语味觉域的四个形容词(sour,sweet,bitter,spicy)为研究对象,运用Sketch Engine检索工具分析它们在BNC语料库中的主体分布和谓语句构式。研究发现:英语形容词谓语句构式的单一性(SCC结构)使得味觉域形容词意义的拓展在很大程度上依赖隐喻机制,形容词原型体验的差异导致了隐喻拓展的不同,形容词谓语句构式对隐喻拓展会产生一定的激励和限制作用。

The embodiment view emphasized by Cognitive Linguistics has greatly influenced language study and body parts, space and senses connected with human basic experiences are the focus which has never seen before. Based on Conceptual Metaphorical Theory and usage-based Construction Theory,the present paper explores the subjects and constructions of English taste domain predictive adjective （sour, sweet, bitter, spicy） clauses in BNC by using the searching tool Sketch Engine. Findings show that the exclusive SCC construction of English predictive adjective clauses leads to the extension of adjective meaning depending on metaphorical mechanism to a great extent; the differences among the prototypical experiences of English adjectives contribute to the differences in metaphorical extensions;and that the constructions of predictive adjective clauses can inspire and constrain metaphorical extensions.